With a band name sounding like a film genre, I had no expectations of the music from this band. Not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad one?

Cult Cinema is a hardcore/thrash band from London that has been around since 2009. The quintet comprises of Paul Hamlin (guitar), Ivan Ferreira (vocals), Nick Desmond (guitar), Noah Winterbourn (drums) and Trevor Saull (bass) and packs a mean punch of hardcore/ thrash music judging from their latest debut EP, Iscariot, available from Siege of Amida Records.

Iscariot features a total of 5 tracks of aggressive, intense and forceful sounds filled with themes of your everyday betrayal, rejection, isolation, violence and suicide. Definitely not for the weak of heart!

‘Akeldama’, the opening track on Iscariot, sets the tone for the entire EP. This 1 minute 30 seconds musical intro which starts off on a relatively calm sombre approach before breaking into a hail of brutal guitars, pounding drums and a ‘caveman’ scream to boot! Definitely a good introduction to what lies in store on the rest of the disc. The next track, ‘The Beloved Disciple’ picks up from where ‘Akeldama’ left off with another episode of buzzing guitar riffs, maniacal screams and pounding drums. Unfortunately so does the rest of the music on Iscariot. From one track to the next, this offers the listener a somewhat similar musical experience without much variety, colour or flavour. Only tracks that slightly deviate from the usual mould are ‘A Distant And Disconsolate Heart’ and ‘The Betrayer/Tomb Of The Brave’. Two tracks which might stand out for the listener as they deviate slightly away from the norm but still hold true to Cult Cinema’s musical vision.

No doubt this EP may sit well for some young listeners, but for someone like me who has lived through the glorious hardcore/ punk/ thrash era, Cult Cinema’s Iscariot does not offer much in comparison to other hardcore, thrash albums out there.

http://www.myspace.com/cultcinemacult

(3/10 Imran M)